Hope College officials today announced the name of the school's new $5.3 million Van Andel Soccer Stadium at a groundbreaking ceremony honoring the project's lead donors, David and Carol Van Andel. The Van Andel family revealed a lead gift of $3 million from the David & Carol Van Andel Foundation to help build a world-class athletic facility serving the HopeCollege soccer program and Holland-area sports and recreation community.

"As Hope College alumni and the proud parents of two Flying Dutchmen, Carol and I are honored to be involved in a project that will enhance the school's athletic program and provide our community with one of the finest soccer stadiums in the country," said David Van Andel. "In addition to enjoying a beautiful new facility, we are confident the community will also realize a significant economic impact with the ability to attract major sporting events to the area."

Designed to complement Hope's recently expanded athletic complex, the new stadium will be built on the site of the college's existing soccer fields on Fairbanks Avenue near 11th Street in Holland. The state-of-the-art facility will include stadium-style and bleacher seating for 1,400 fans, a concession stand, public restrooms, two locker rooms, a training room, a meeting room for visiting teams along with a ticket booth and press box. It will also feature terrace areas for picnics and tailgating as well as lighting for night games and artificial turf. Construction is expected to be completed this October.

"Our gift is a tribute to the tireless dedication of the Hope College players, coaches and staff, a recognition of the impressive records set by both the men's and women's soccer teams, and an opportunity to engage the community and energize its youth," said Carol Van Andel.

The $5.3 million project cost includes construction and a maintenance endowment. In addition to the naming gift, a second leadership gift along with many other contributions have made this construction possible.

"We are extremely grateful to the Van Andel family for their extraordinary generosity. This stadium simply would not have been possible without their support," said Hope College President James E. Bultman. "Their gift and other contributions from the community enable HopeCollege to serve and attract future generations of students through the continued construction of quality academic and athletic facilities."